Matt Walker believes there is healthy competition for places in the squad as Kent’s first pre-season match against Durham gets underway today.

 Kent’s assistant coach recently rejoined the club where he spent the majority of his 17-year playing career. Today, he will run his eye over the players in a match day situation for the first time, during the 50-over friendly game against last year’s LV= County Championship Division One winners at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury.

Speaking to KSN  a few days before the match, Walker explained how the competition in the squad, and the bowling department in particular, was a very positive thing.

“You want competition for places and we certainly have that in the bowling department this year”, Walker said.

“We’ve strengthened with the signing of Davey Griffiths [from Hampshire], Mitchell Claydon [from Durham] is now here for his second year and Doug Bollinger is our overseas. The seam attack’s looking really strong with some good young ones just underneath.

Kent also have former fast bowler Robbie Joseph back in the side for today’s friendly. Joseph played 49 first class games for Kent between 2004 and 2011, before being released and moving to Leicestershire in 2012, where he stayed for just one season, becoming a coach at Horsmonden, in the Kent Village Cricket League, in 2013.

“With the batting”, Walker went on, “it’s time now [for the younger players] to step up. I’m not putting pressure on these guys because they’ll do it – they’ll get there – it’s just trying to help them shape themselves into the players they want to be, and they’re the only ones who can do it when they walk across the white line.

“You like to think that with the ability that those guys have, there’s no reason why they can’t really kick on.

“Some of them are now in that 24-25 bracket which is an age where you are really expecting them to be a healthy run-scorer in our team. Sam Northeast, [Daniel] Bell-Drummond, Fabian Cowdrey, Alex Blake, Adam Ball – all these players are at a young age and can start making their way.

“It’s exciting for now, and for the next 10 years, hopefully. Hopefully we can create that real core of Kent home-grown players who are going to be the future for Kent.”

After today’s 50-over friendly, Kent and Durham will play two T20 friendlies tomorrow [1 April 2014], again at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.